johnc

That's true! The guys in the shop next door rebuild used computer batteries for Apple and they have 20,000 boxes with blue foam that they just throw away. I walk next door and scrounge the stuff whenever I have to ship something 'cuz its free and I don't have to charge anyone for it. I do have to buy rolls of bubble wrap and I did find that U-Haul sells these cheap moving blankets made from recycled lint that work great to wrap the hoods and hatches in. Glad you liked the hood and yes, I can make more!

Funny. I hear that a lot. Having driven lots of different production based race cars I can say that a properly setup 240Z is very easy and rewarding to drive fast. Its light, agile, and very responsive (unlike the 400+hp WRX STi I drove a few weeks ago.) An improprly setup 240Z (or any other car) is a frickin' nightmare and is almost impossible to keep out of the dirt.

His firing would be a result of his excersiing his right of free speech. But the big issue is not free speech directly, but the concept of Acedemic Freedom which is extrapolated from free speech. The guy's a slime ball and portrays himself as a Native American (many Native American groups question this claim) but he does deserve to be protected. The university can demote him (they've already taken away his chairmanship) and is his Native American status proves to be un-true then he can be fired for fraud.

That's "outside the exhaust" thinking, not exhaust flow thinking. In both examples the exhaust flow itself has made two direction changes. In the first, one 45 degree change and then another 45 degree change totaling 90 degrees. The second totals 180 degrees. Where the exhaust ends up in relation to the world outside the exhaust pipe is irrelevant to flow, system pressure, velocity, etc. Would have been my asusmption too but the pipe OD was added as another variable to the comparison that makes it less valuable. It also assumes a lot regarding the volume of flow in the exhaust itself. A 1L stock Suzuki 3 cylinder engine will see absolutely no difference in performance using a 2.5" OD exhaust with two 45 degree bends vs. a 3" OD exhaust with two 90 degree bends. Clint's basic premise is correct - reduce the total direction change in the exhaust system and you will increase the total flow capabilites. This is true to the point that an exhaust with a larger tube OD but greater direction change MIGHT not be as effective and a smaller OD tube with fewer direction changes. But the 3 times number quoted depends on so many other variables that it can't be taken as a trueism.

That's an odd comparison - two 45 degree bends to two 90 degree bends? The first is a total direction change of 90 degrees and the second is a total direction change of 180 degrees. Of course the second would be more restrictive then the first. Also, having built a few racing exhausts, I can't see where an exhaust builder would be faced with that kind of a choice. You either need to change directions 90 degrees or 180 degrees. Normally you don't have an option of one or the other.

That made me think of a cool eBay scam: "Rare 432R JDM Right Side S30 Control Arms!"

We want to play now... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1477-2005Feb5.html We want to play too! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1511-2005Feb5.html

Some more good news from Iraq: http://iraqilibe.blogspot.com/2005/02/iraqi-citizens-kill-5-terrorists.html

Less then half of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were slave owners and many states had already abolished slavery. It was one of the big issues that almost led to failure of the Convention and later ratification. Most delegates recognized that the slavery compromises agreed to in the Constitution (especially the 3/5 compromise) would lead to internal conflict. And all (except a few extremists) knew slavery in this country would come to an end, with many feeling they would see this in their lifetimes. Also, the slavery issue led to strange confrontations. New England and British ship owners wanted the importation of slaves continued while Virginia slave owners wanted the importation of slaves stopped. Virginia had a large slave population and wanted to increase its sale of its domestic slaves to other southern states.

I'm thinking this is a joke. Look at all the trash sitting on the wiper motor and MC. Most likely he found this thing in a junkyard, took some pictures, and has posted a troll.

Then you need to read the book I referenced above because you're mistaken in many ways.

If anyone is interested in the process involved in the creation of the US Constitution, I strongly recommend The Great Rehearsal by Carl Van Doren. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0313234922/qid=1107461174/sr=2-2/ref=pd_ka_b_2_2/104-9010680-7440702 I just finished reading it again and the uncertainty, fears, etc. that is currently expressed about Iraq's fledgling democracy existed in the US in 1787. What Iraq is going through is similar to what our country went through (including some of violence) 218 years ago.

Not true! The UK, France, Australia, India, South Africa, etc. all have representative forms of governmment and all are "good" for their particular people. What makes them good is that there are formal processes that allow the people to change their government and their representation. No country has a government like ours and none every will. Forcing a US style Democratic Republic on a country is bad. It won't work. And that's NOT what we are doing in Iraq (despite what a lot of folks assert). The Iraqis are going to write their own Constitution and develop a type of representative government that they feel is appropriate for them.

I think your PolySci teachers have it wrong. That sentence should read, "It is extremely difficult to force any tyranny, dictatorship, oligarchy, etc. into democracy. They will fight it even when the people want it." When the people of a country are given a choice, they have ALWAYS chosen a representative form of government, whether its a Democratic Republic, a pure Democracy, a Parlimentatrian form of Democracy, a representative Socialist form, or whatever. I can't think of one country where the people have freely chosen a tyrannical form of government.

Now that's a Gearhead family! Most of the time its, "Son, now that you're out on your own, its time I gave you my grandfather's watch..." But, in the Hepburn family its, "Son, now that you can build you're own small block, I'm going to give you my Holley 750 DP..."

When will Europe learn...

The ones on this engine are probably pretty big... http://www.man-mec.com/V12-1550%20specs.htm

Have it ground undersize by a different machine shop.

Although it might appear that I made this post as an "I told you so" kind of thing, I really didn't. What I wanted to convey was the idea that the Iraqi election isn't about the US or Bush or Kerry or Rumsfeld or Rice or Vietnam or anything else - its about the Iraqi people finally getting a chance to control their own destiny. Its a realization I came to over the weekend (and that's despite being a supporter of the current administration's policies) and the two posts above kind of reflect that realization (the first more then the second). I really hope, that from this point forward, the Iraqi's take control of their destiny, throw us out, a develop a Constitution enshrining a Democracy, a Republic, a Parliment, or whatever best respresents them as a people.

http://andiamnotlyingforreal.blogspot.com/2005/01/like-millions-of-iraqis-i-made-long.html http://www.suntimes.com/output/brown/cst-nws-brown01.html

An extreme (yet very current) example of what arms contorl can lead to: http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/kopel_gallant_eisen200408180824.asp But remember, it can't ever happen here.

Man, I just posted a link to a good price on a helmet that I see a welders who weld hours every day use. Now it has become some religious thing about China and Harbor Frieght. Some of you guys need to go get laid. Jeez!

I suggest a full face shield that is tinted the oxy weld green (I think its shade 5) and make sure you have good lighting. I've had sparks blow back at me when cutting a hole in plate using a plasma cutter. For that reason I want something covering my entire face. The folks on American Chopper and other shows are fools when it comes to welding safety. They will pay a price for it later in their lives.

Volkswagon Jetta or Golf TDI. http://www.tdiclub.com/

I've got a Sunbelt engine for sale : http://www.betamotorsports.com/products/SunbeltL6.htm